Canadian Snowbirds Reveal They’re Canceling The U.S., But Not Because Of President Trump

Canada’s travel boycott of the United States remains strong, which began following President Donald Trump’s “51st state” remarks and his subsequent tariff war. While Canadian tourists to the U.S. have been on a consistent decline (prompting some states to beg for their return and others to demand an apology from Trump), Canadian snowbirds are usually loyal to the U.S. Given their stronger financial ties to the U.S., Canadian snowbirds were expected to break the boycott. But a new survey actually suggests many are either staying home or heading elsewhere this winter.

The Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada’s (THIA) 2025 Winter Smart Traveller Survey discovered that just 26% of Canadians are likely to go to the U.S., representing a 37% pullback from 2024. It also revealed that some Canadians plan to visit Europe instead, including Portugal and Spain, and that Mexico and the Caribbean are in demand.

Surprisingly, the largest decline was observed among baby boomers, who are traditionally the “snowbird generation.” What’s even more interesting are the reasons why. According to the survey, here’s why more snowbirds are ditching the U.S. this winter—and the main reason isn’t even political.

More Canadian Snowbirds Say They’re Canceling U.S. Travel This Winter For Reasons Beyond Trump’s Politics

November marks the beginning of the snowbird season, when many Canadians pack their bags and head for warmer, sunnier U.S. states down south, including Florida, Arizona, Texas, and California, which are usually the most popular destinations. But the THIA’s new survey not only reveals a huge drop in Canadians planning to cross the border for the winter; it also uncovered the reasons why.

Why Canadian Snowbirds Are Avoiding U.S. Travel This Winter: A Breakdown Per The THIA’s Survey

Unsurprisingly, 40% of Canadians surveyed cited political tensions with the U.S. among the reasons they’re skipping traveling south this winter. President Trump’s trade war with Canada and annexation remarks are a major reason many Canadians have boycotted U.S. travel this year; travel data from Statistics Canada released in October shows Canadian visits to the U.S. by road fell 35% in September year-on-year. Air travel also dropped by 27%. However, the survey found that politics isn’t actually the biggest reason.

The most cited reason was the rising cost of travel; nearly half of Canadians surveyed are worried about inflated travel costs. Just over a quarter are bothered by exchange rates, and around a fifth are anxious about their safety in the U.S.

“There is a somewhat anti-U.S. sentiment (among tourists). There’s also a certain fear because of the border security issues that the Trump administration has imposed,” Marion Joppe, professor emerita at the University of Guelph’s School of Hospitality, Food and Tourism Management, said to Global News.

The steepest nosedive is among baby boomers, who would typically spend winters in the southern U.S. The survey found that just 10% of Canadians aged 61 years and older are likely to travel to the U.S., a 66% decline from 2024.

Meanwhile, although official government statistics don’t exist, a 2023 report by Snowbird Advisor estimates approximately half of Canadian snowbirds (around 425,000 to 500,000) own real estate in the U.S., most of whom are an older demographic and are typically retired or semi-retired. This year, however, they’re increasingly getting out of American real estate.

“We’ve certainly seen a move by some to get away from ownership or long-term rentals in the U.S. in favor of the Caribbean and Mexico,” said executive director at THIA, Will McAleer, as reported by CTV News.

Florida has seen similar homeownership trends; although many Canadian snowbirds remain loyal to Florida (even paying a 70% premium for travel this year), an increasing number are selling their U.S. vacation homes and not buying new property as much as in previous years, a report by Canadian real estate company, Royal Lepage, found. Royal Lepage also revealed that:

• 54% of Canadian real estate owners in the U.S. are considering selling within the next year
• 32% of Canadians who recently sold or plan to sell say they intend to reinvest in Canadian real estate

Again, politics is among the reasons cited, but for many Canadian snowbirds, the rising cost of home insurance and property taxes in Florida is driving them out. Other issues leaving a sour taste in Canadian mouths are tighter entry rules and new fees for those visiting the U.S. for extended periods, which recently caused a stir at the U.S.-Canada border when a couple from Canada were fingerprinted and charged $60 by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Declining Snowbird Interest Comes At The Same Time As The U.S. Is Imposing New Entry Requirements On Canadians

Canadian snowbirds’ change in sentiment toward the U.S. comes just as a new federal rule for foreigners, including Canadians, is being implemented for those staying in the country for an extended timeframe (as explained in the YouTube video above). Canadians visiting the U.S. for more than 30 days must now register with the American government, provide their fingerprints, be photographed, and pay a $30-per-person fee in order to avoid penalties.

The Canadian Snowbird Association recently responded to the new ruling in a statement at the end of October, saying that the new requirements have caused “inconsistent experiences” at the border for Canadians.

“Despite recent claims from U.S. authorities that fingerprinting and photographing Canadian travelers, staying in the U.S. for 30 days or more, is part of a new policy, our members have reported inconsistent experiences at various land border crossings,” the Canadian Snowbird Association wrote.

The group also warned Canadian travelers of longer processing times for those visiting in December, when the ruling is expected to be enforced at more border points.

The new rule at the U.S. border is scheduled to take effect on December 26, 2025. Many Canadians report it’s being enforced at various border crossings, however.

Other travel experts have also weighed in. “Having your photo taken and your fingerprints done feels really wrong to us, but there are really a lot of countries that have been doing this for the past decade,” said travel expert Barry Choi, according to CTV News. Still, even with stricter border rules and new fees, along with increasing travel costs, unfavorable exchange rates for Canadians, and concerns about safety in the U.S., some experts believe many Canadians will still show loyalty to their southern neighbor.

Some Experts Believe Canadians Will Still Travel To The U.S. This Winter

Choi also explained that he believes families will continue to visit U.S. attractions, such as Disney World and Disneyland, as well as Las Vegas and other popular American destinations, despite the overall drop in Canadian visitors. However, he noted that some Canadians who do travel to the U.S. might “keep a lower profile” and avoid posting about it on social media.

“If someone is a snowbird and they have a home in Florida or Arizona, well of course they are going to go,” Choi said, as reported by CTV News. Glenn Williamson, CEO of the Canada Arizona Business Council (CABC), noted similar expectations for Canadian snowbird trends in Arizona during an interview with The Travel in October.

“This is the same thing happening in Arizona. I anticipate a 20% drop in tourism from approx 900k to 720k and very little drop in snowbird activity,” R. Glenn Williamson of the CABC told The Travel.

Similarly, Stephen Fine of the Canadian Snowbirds Association told The Logic that “Snowbirds are more tied to the U.S. than other travelers,” which explains some of their reluctance to outright abandon travel across the border.

Ultimately, while President Trump’s politics do play a major role in Canadian snowbirds (and tourists) shunning U.S. travel this winter, the THIA’s survey suggests it’s not the main reason. As it turns out, high travel costs are driving Canadians away, especially snowbirds who are usually loyal to the U.S. each winter.

“If some U.S. destinations start to go on sale, maybe that easy trip over the border still prevails,” said McAleer at the THIA, per CTV News. Whether that happens is yet to be seen, though cities like Las Vegas have already launched massive discounts this year to win back visitors, including Canadians. Who knows what will happen through winter, especially as Canadian sentiment toward the U.S. is beginning to shift, even if many travelers from Canada aren’t quite ready to put cross-border trips back on their radar just yet.